Redesigning life, leadership, and work.

Stories • Coaching • Consulting

Read the first chapter free.
Book cover titled "The Joy of Not Figuring Everything Out Alone" by Ma Suzette Fabela with a subtitle about survival, surrender, and starting again, featuring an illustration of two people hugging with a stormy sky background.

For humans learning how to begin again.

Life doesn't always go according to plan.

The Modern Maria exists for people rebuilding after life's unexpected turns—whether that's illness, burnout, a career shift, business growth, or a season of starting over.

Here, we explore stories that are deeply human and the practical tools that help you show up with greater self-awareness, meaningful relationships, faith, and purpose as you rebuild your life, leadership, and work.

WORK WITH ME
A woman with short black hair, wearing a red top, smiling and squinting outdoors against a blurred background.

About the Founder

Suzie Abela

I thought I have life figured out at 35. And then I almost died.

I built a business at 26. Moved from the city to an island. Experienced a slow down some people can only dream of. Almost lost the business from pandemic and then started a coaching company. Rebuilt everything from a typhoon, got burned out, was ready to quit, and actually made it through.

I thought life & work can only get better from here.

Then I got diagnosed with an autoimmune diabetes and felt really lost.

These events in my life has deeply transformed the way I move, live, connect, work, and see myself.

In the middle of rebuilding and recovery, I realized
there is no manual how to live again after life changes you..

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Book cover titled "The Joy of Not Figuring Everything Out Alone" by Ma Suzette F. Abela, with an illustration of two people hugging.

PRE-ORDER THIS E-BOOK

PRE-ODER HERE

WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE INSIDE

đź“– A deeply personal collection of essays on healing, identity, and starting over

🧠 Insight into medical trauma, diabetes, and recovery through lived experience

🌿 A gentle introduction to the grieving process—woven through stories and guided by a mindset coach’s lens

✍️ Reflection prompts to help you process your own emotions and transitions

🎧 An audio version narrated by me, so you can listen on days you don’t have the energy to read

🤍 A companion for moments of overwhelm, uncertainty, and quiet rebuilding

E-BOOK + AUDIO EXPERIENCE

Launch Date: August 11, 2026

Pre-order until August 10, 2026: ₱650.00

₱999 (Regular Price) August 11 onwards

The Felisa Foundation

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Life Stories

  • Two women sitting close together on an airplane, smiling at the camera. One woman has short hair, is wearing a black patterned shirt, and has her hand on the other woman's shoulder. The other woman is wearing sunglasses and a colorful jacket, and is holding a phone.

    What Siargao's Fiesta Taught Me About Leadership

    For almost a decade of building businesses in Siargao, I've heard leaders complain that their staff choose fiesta over work. This year, I chose to close our café instead. What I discovered wasn't just a cultural tradition—it was a lesson on kindness, trust, and why great leadership begins with understanding the people we lead.

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  • A woman wearing a white dress, beige cap, and face mask sitting on a swing at a beachside area with trees, sand, and outdoor seating in the background. She is wearing a CGM (Continuous glucose Monitoring) for her diabetes.

    Science or Faith: When my body falls apart, where do I lean in?

    When I almost lost my life, I stopped asking whether science or faith was right. Instead, I discovered how both worked together to guide my recovery. A personal reflection on medicine, miracles, and the unexpected peace found between evidence and belief.

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  • Tell Me What You'd Rather Do on a Monday, and I'll Tell You Who You Are

    Inspired by conversations about Universal Basic Income, a few Bumble dates, and childhood memories of growing up with "just enough," this essay explores what our answer reveals about purpose, freedom, and what we truly value. Sometimes, the life we're waiting to afford has already quietly begun.

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